The missing Matakana link open at last

from Mahurangi Matters_Issue 457_19 June 2023

What’s on

While the long-awaited opening of the motorway might be getting most of the attention, a road that’s arguably just as important to Mahurangi motorists was also blessed and opened at the same time. Te Honohono ki Tai Road, or the Matakana link road, provides a crucial link between Matakana Road and SH1, cutting out the unpopular Hill Street junction for a significant number of drivers.

While Auckland Transport (AT) and Waka Kotahi focus on its connection with the motorway, one of the biggest boons for those coming from Matakana, Leigh and Omaha will be the ability to nip down the 1.4km link road to get to sports at the showgrounds, hopefully ending the dreaded log-jam from Hill Street up to the roundabout.

The route to building the new four-lane road with footpaths either side and a cycle lane has not always been straightforward and without a lot of lobbying from community groups, elected council and local board members, businesses, MPs and residents, it would not look like it does today.

Back in 2018, AT was planning to build just a two-lane road to start, claiming the extra lanes would not be needed until 2036, and the budget was slashed from $88 million to under $63 million. However, a concerted and lengthy campaign spearheaded by One Mahurangi business association resulted in the full four lanes going ahead, and the contract was awarded to a local business, Wharehine Construction.

During the build, the 60 staff and subcontractors have had to contend with more than their fair share of hiccups and hold-ups, including covid lockdowns, weather events, an alignment shift at the Warkworth end, and the addition of two unscheduled intersections to service new housing developments.

Wharehine construction manager Jared

McGee conceded it had been a challenging build at times, but he was happy with the finished road.

“It’s been a long project,” he said. “And it’s been good to be a local contractor, although sometimes the biggest problem is you care too much about the little things. I’ll for ever see little imperfections as I walk and ride along the road with my kids!”

McGee said the fact that they had been able to include user-friendly add-ons such as paths both sides of the road, a cycleway, roadside planting and rest areas with benches was gratifying.

“A lot of the roads we work on are so utilitarian, there’s no thought given to aesthetics or even having a simple rest area. There are three rest areas along the link and I like them,” he said. “As the housing comes on, they’ll be used more and more. The one by the roundabout has already got kids from Clayden Road coming down on their bikes and sitting down there.”

Efforts have been made to minimise harm to the environment, including extensive restoration planting and keeping tree loss to a minimum around the three-span bridge that crosses a stream.

“The original plan was to take an extra 20 metres of trees out on one side and 50 metres the other, but we narrowed our footprint as much as we could and halved the amount of native trees we had to take out,” McGee said.

Three wetlands and rain gardens have been included to filter stormwater and streetlights on the bridge, which is decorated with artwork designed by the Ngati Manuhiri Settlement Trust, are designed for longer life to reduce maintenance.

The road also includes a new occasional entrance into the showgrounds, infrastructure for six bus stops and extensive power ducting and water mains. It was funded with $30.5 million from AT and $31.7 million from Waka Kotahi.